Columbus edged by South Panola in extra innings

From Special Reports

March 31, 2010 9:04:00 AM

BATESVILLE -- Josh Tentoni''s two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning gave the Columbus High School baseball team a one-run lead, but the Falcons couldn''t hold it, falling to South Panola 3-2 in eight innings Tuesday in a Class 6A, Division 2, District 4 game.

Nick Durrah struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the next batter reached on an error and later scored on a passed ball to tie the game.

Stefan Hairston relieved Durrah to start the eighth and retired the first two batters before pinch hitter Alan Horne doubled and scored on a bloop single by Matt Brown.

Tentoni was 3-for-3 and Tyji Hawkins was 2-for-4.

Durrah allowed only two hits and one earned run. He struck out 13.

n New Hope 9, West Point 1: At West Point, Dillon Hawkins allowed only one run in pitching the Trojans to an MHSAA Class 5A, Division 2 victory.

Hawkins (3-1) was backed by a 12-hit attack. The leading hitters for New Hope (11-4, 2-1 division) were Philip Tice with three singles, Jared Shelton and Jake Smith with two singles each, Jake Upton with a double and Dusty Dyson and Gabe Franks with a single each.

n Hebron Christian 16, Immanuel Christian 1: The Rams were held to three hits in dropping their second game in a row.

Taylor Burns, Justin James and Russ Moore singled and Burns scored the only run for the Rams.

Dustin White (1-4) suffered the loss on the mound.

n Pickens Academy 20-7, Meadowview Christian 5-4: At Selma, Ala., the Pirates extended their winning streak to five games Tuesday by sweeping a doubleheader.

Pickens Academy (8-2) pounded out 22 hits in the opener and had 12 hits in the nightcap.

In the first game, 10 players had at least one hit and one RBI. The Pirates were led by Tyler Vails with four singles, a double and two RBIs, Bryant Fikes with two singles, a double and four RBIs, Forrest Lewis and Michael Potts with two singles, a double and two RBIs each, Chase Davidson with two singles, a double and an RBI, Mark Johnson and Kirk Lewis with a single and two RBIs each, and Casey Jones, Brad Lowery and Cody McDaniel with a single and RBI each.

In the second game, Kirk Lewis had two doubles, a single and RBI, Forrest Lewis had two singles and two RBIs, Fikes and Casey Jones had a double, single and RBI each, Potts had a single and RBI, and Davidson and Josh Jones had a single each.

Vails (2-2) was the winning pitcher in the opener and Davidson (3-0) was the winner in the nightcap. Vails allowed seven hits and five runs with 10 strikeouts in five innings, while Davidson gave up two hits and four runs with 11 strikeouts in six innings.

Softball

n Heritage Academy 19, Jackson Academy 4: The Lady Patriots won their second game in a row after losing their season opener.

Kristyn Atkins, Morgan Lamb, Casey Taylor and Logan Waggoner were the leading hitters for Heritage.

Atkins was the winning pitcher.

Heritage also won the junior varsity game 11-3. Mary Grace Crenshaw had two hits.

Golf

n Taylor leads New Hope: Sophomore Chase Taylor shot a 36 Tuesday to earn medalist honors and help New Hope beat Amory at Columbus Country Club.

Austin Fitch and Blake King each shot 44 and Chaz Robinson shot a 49 for New Hope.

The Trojans will compete today against West Point and Caledonia at Columbus Country Club.

n Swedenburg leads Heritage Academy: At Greenville, Will Swedenburg shot a 78 to earn medalist honors Monday in the Patriots'' fourth-place finish out of 10 teams.